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Southern Fiji Travel
Fiji Islands
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The Southern Fiji Islands is made up of Kadavu Island, the fourth largest island in Fiji, Beqa, Vatulele and a dozen smaller offshore islands. This is an excellent centre for scuba diving, game fishing and surfing as well as to experience a more remote and secluded way of life.
Kadavu Island
This traditional and remote island lies about 100km off the main island of Viti Levu. Kadavu is a rugged island almost 60km in length and 14km wide with high volcanic peaks, rolling hills and many indented bays. There are few roads on the island and travel by small boats is the easiest and often only way to get about. The dense rainforests offer good hiking trails, some nice waterfalls and several endemic species of birds including the colourful and noisy Kadavu parrot (kaka) and the more elusive whistling dove, honeyeater and fantail. Life in Kadavu boasts a very traditional culture with its 12,000 inhabitants living in 70 small fishing villages around the coast, isolated from the world. Village visits from all seven resorts on island can be arranged.
The world famous Great Astrolabe Reef stretches for 30km off the north east coast of Kadavu extending north beyond Ono Island. Here you'll find outstanding hard corals, caves, wrecks and a fantastic array of marine life due to its rich currents. Visibility is usually excellent, but the east side of the reef which drops into the deep ocean can be rough at times making diving more difficult. There are several small resorts here catering to budget travellers including the popular Waisalima Beach Resort which offers traditional thatch bures on the beach, a dive centre and excellent snorkelling right offshore. The beach is attractive with views of the mountains and Ono Island across the bay and backed by tropical trees and palms. However, at high tide the water comes right up to the shorefront and at low tide the tide goes right out making swimming impractical. There's a very good scuba diving outfit here with beginner to advanced courses and the diving is only a few minutes boat ride from the resort. Another option is the slightly cheaper Albert's Resort, a few kilometres further along the coast which is aimed more at backpackers with surfing and diving options.
There are some other outstanding dive areas along the north coast of Kadavu, notably the Namalata Reef with amazing soft corals, sea fans and swim through's and an abundance of marine life - Matana Beach Resort (also known as Dive Kadavu) offers private bures on one of the nicest all tide swimming beaches in Kadavu with some good coral heads off the beach for snorkelling. There are several excellent hikes from here into the mountains and along the coast to one mile beach and mountain bike and kayak tours can be arranged. Also on the north coast, about mid way between the airport and the eastern tip, is Papageno Eco Resort which offers diving, guided walks and a lovely plantation style set-up with its own impressive vegetable gardens.
On the north west coast, the dominant high volcanic peak of Nubukelevu drops straight into the ocean and here you'll find outstanding drop-off's, cabbage coral gardens, large marine life and unexplored caves. The tiny island of Nagigia off the west tip of Kadavu has some of the country's best surfing breaks along the reef and passages, notably King Kong with it's left and right handers. Accommodation on island is provided at Nagigia Surf Resort which offers nine bures with shared facilities and excellent dining overlooking the surf break and with stunning views of Naubukelevu. The fishing around here is outstanding and there's some exceptional diving and snorkelling off the island with caves and heaps of cabbage coral.
Fishing along all these reefs is also excellent. There are seven small beach resorts along the north coast of Kadavu servicing the diving reefs, game fishing and surfing breaks.
Accommodation in Kadavu
Vunisea in the centre of the island is a small hub and sits at the narrowest point of the island (takes less than ten minutes to walk from the north coast to south coast). There's a post office, shop, school, wharf and airport. The boat ride to the west and eastern tips takes about an hour and costs F$50 one way.
Flights to Kadavu
Nadi to Kadavu - Sun Air (45mins - F$300 return)
Suva to Kadavu - Air Fiji (30mins - F$180 return)
Passenger Ferries to Kadavu
Depart fortnightly from Suva for Kadavu (irregular timetable) - stops at Ono Island and most resorts around the island.
Small local fishing around Kadavu
These can easily be arranged from either resorts or villages.
Local Airlines / Ferries
Beqa and Yanuca
The large Beqa Lagoon lies about 20km off the main island of Viti Levu and is usually visible from Pacific Harbour. Beqa Island, almost circular in shape and 27km along its coast, rises to a high point of 439m and is inaccessible except by boat. There are some good scuba diving reefs on the west side of the island and game fishing is excellent all around the region with rich currents feeding the Beqa passage. Beqa is home to the famous Fiji firewalkers (villages of Rukua, Naceva and Dakuibeqa all on the southern half of the island), who stroll across hot volcanic rocks without any harm to their feet (you'll see them perform at the large hotels on Viti Levu). The large lagoon extends to the west where there are some world class surfing breaks including Frigates Passage with its left hander barrels. There are two surf camps on Yanuca Island which is the closest point to the surf breaks - Pena's is very basic with unreliable boating and the slightly more expensive Batiluva Resort with dorms and private bures (no electricity or hot water). The beaches on Yanuca are lovely and deserted and there's great snorkelling offshore and excellent fishing.
Getting to Beqa and Yanuca
There is no airport - the only way to get here is by boat from Pacific Harbour. The boat run costs about F$60 one way.
Vatulele Island
Vatulele boasts some of the best beaches in Fiji, a single luxury resort and several small fishing villages which are noted for their tapa cloth making. This almost flat island is almost 32 sq km in size with an uplift along its west coast and has a high point of only 34m. There are lots of limestone caves, cliffs and bays to explore as well as the unique red prawns at Korolamalama Cave and the ancient cliff paintings nearby. Offshore are several small islands, one of which is used as a picnic spot by the resort, and another home to thousands of nesting seabirds.
Getting to Vatulele
Sun Air offer daily charters for resort guests. Boat transfers to the local villages depart from Korolevu on the Coral Coast.
Local Airlines / Ferries
Readers may also be interested in the following destinations:
Cook Islands Travel Guide
Samoa Travel Guide
Tonga Travel Guide
Tahiti Travel Guide
Hawaii Travel Guide
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